"When those two guys aren't on the floor, we're a different team offensively and defensively," Indiana coach Archie Miller said.

When Morgan and Langford went to the bench with two fouls early in the first half, the Wolverines went on a 12-3 run in less than 3 minutes before the pair returned to the floor.

"We set the tone and we got their two big guys in foul trouble," Michigan coach John Beilein said. "They're tremendous. They're really tough to stop and they both sat about 20 minutes."

Michigan led 44-29 at halftime and didn't have much trouble keeping a comfortable cushion after halftime in part because Morgan picked up his third and fourth fouls.

"We kind of took them out of their flow," Poole said.

Miller lamented his team getting off to another poor start.

"The beginning of the game, we're not tough enough," Miller said. "We take a punch, maybe a few too many and then get up off the ground."

Langford agreed.

"We've been coming back and winning close games," he said. "Now that's not going to work for us down the road."

BIG PICTURE

Indiana: Langford and Morgan have to learn how to avoid getting into foul trouble because of their value to the team. Both went to the bench with two fouls early in the game and Morgan was limited even more in the second half because he had two more fouls while trying to defend shots from the perimeter, decisions that were costly.

"I just have to be smarter," Morgan said.

Indiana will have more depth when center De'Ron Davis, who warmed up Sunday, and guard Rob Phinisee return from injuries.

Michigan: The Wolverines usually play just two players off the bench and one of the regular reserves, Isaiah Livers, missed a second straight game with a back injury. Johns may have earned more playing time. He had to play because Livers was out and center Jon Teske and his backup, Austin Davis, were in foul trouble while trying to defend Morgan. Johns made the most of the opportunity with season highs in points, rebounds and minutes (13) and hurt the Hoosiers' comeback hopes.

"There's an argument for him to be the first big man off the bench after the way he played," Beilein said.

HE SAID IT

The 6-foot Simpson made some running hook shots, scoring in a way undersized guards have to near the lane, according to Beilein.

Way behind in a match he soon would lose, Alexander Zverev leaned forward in his Australian Open sideline seat to repeatedly, and violently, crack his racket against the court with a reverberating THWACK — one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight times in all, before throwing down the offending, and now-mangled, piece of equipment.